Supporting a Grenfell legal team’s work for families and survivors

BRIEF

Infinite Global has, through its corporate responsibility programme, provided pro bono PR and communications support to a group of lawyers working with some of the bereaved, survivors and residents (BSRs) of the Grenfell Fire tragedy.

Initially working in advance of the publication of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s Phase 1 report, published in October 2019, a programme of activity was conceived and undertaken to raise awareness of BSRs’ aims and expectations of the Inquiry. This included strategic communications advice and key message development for the lawyers & their clients, as well as tactical press engagement on their behalf, resulting in widespread media coverage.  

APPROACH

As the third anniversary of the Fire approached and the Inquiry restarted after hearings were suspended due to the coronavirus lockdown, a spotlight was shone on the role which race played in the tragedy. 85% of the 67 permanent residents who died in the fire were from minority ethnic groups, and Leslie Thomas QC told the Inquiry as it re-opened that “The Grenfell fire did not happen in a vacuum and we must be cognisant of the prevailing socio – economic and political realities of the time. This was not simply a local tragedy for West London. It had and has national and global ramifications.” Infinite Global worked directly with one of the survivors to ensure his voice was heard and the story of his reality both during the tragic night of the fire and his treatment afterwards was told.

With the Inquiry reopened, BSRs and their representatives continued to be concerned by the lack of progress that had been made. In the Autumn of 2020 and almost a year after the publication of the Phase 1 report a coalition of groups highlighted the scale of the cladding problem which still persists in many residential buildings causing significant risk and distress. Again, Infinite Global supported the BSR & their lawyers through targeted press engagement to complement the wider awareness campaign – ‘End our cladding scandal’.

OUTCOME

“Our group of lawyers are very grateful to Infinite Global for their excellent pro bono help in ensuring our clients’ voices continue to be heard, and that the wider, vital, issue of fire safety, which affects millions of people, remains in the spotlight.”

Lawyer advising Grenfell BSRs

To date, the pro bono programme has secured media profile for the families & their lawyers across the broadsheet, digital, key trade and local press, including in The Evening Standard, BBC, iNews, The Daily Express, Press Association, My London, Inside Housing and Property Week.